Nor'easter delivers masked booby to the Cape

Friday

Jose left dozens of battered seabirds in its wake on Cape Cod, including a rare tropical seabird, a masked booby, that was rescued by Wild Care, the wildlife rehabilitation hospital in Eastham.

“We received a call about an injured bird at LeCount’s Hollow in Wellfleet. We arranged for volunteer Claudia Rothman to go out and rescue the bird, which was identified as a gannet over the phone. Much to our surprise, the bird was not a gannet, but instead was a species of booby (a tropical relative of the northern gannet),” said Stephanie Ellis, Wild Care’s executive director.

“We immediately examined the bird to assess its condition. The bird is very thin, weak and is experiencing respiratory discomfort likely due to a fungal infection. The bird’s condition is grave, but we are providing supportive care and keeping it comfortable at this time.”

The booby is not the only bird washed up from Hurricane Jose. Wild Care currently has several shearwaters, gannets, and a cormorant in its care.